Do all spiders make webs?

Do all spiders make webs?

Do all spiders make webs? It is a very common question and the answer is very simple – no. Webs are constructions of silk made to trap prey and although all spiders produce silk, not all build webs to catch their food. Those that do produce a wide range of web types ranging from the well-known orb-webs, through to single sticky strands. Spiders that don’t build webs catch their prey by other means, such as ambushing it from a hole in the ground (like trapdoors spiders), or stalking it and leaping on it (like jumping spiders). Those that don’t construct webs still use silk, but for other purposes. These include building retreats, safety drag-lines (constantly connected as the spider moves around) and for dispersal in a process called ballooning. One of the most common uses of silk in the spider world is in the construction of egg sacs that are used to protect their eggs.

The St Andrew’s Cross Spider (Argiope keyserlingi) builds a classic orb-web.Huntsman spiders like this Jungle Huntsman (Heteropoda jugulans) don’t build webs. They simply ambush prey and tackle it with their legs and fangs